


The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the New Era

by AnthroLover



Category: Legend of Spyro, Spyro, Spyro the Dragon (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fantasy, Gen, Magic, Post-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-14 02:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11773359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnthroLover/pseuds/AnthroLover
Summary: After so much struggle, and so much sacrifice, the Dark Master was finally defeated. However, things that an unexpected turn as it is revealed that he was not waht he seemed, and that there was someone else, another power behind the stages.Now, as Cynder and Spyro return to home, they discover that their adventures had not ended yet, as now they have to strop the same force that turned Malefor into the Dark Master from taking over the world and enslavering every single form of life into the world.As they travel into this new adventure, they will find themselves new allies and friends to help them into their quests and into the fight agaisnt the evil, with the first and most unusual of all of them being the recently purified Malefor...





	1. How it All Began

_Ten Generations Ago…_

A young dragon was walking away from the great dragon city of Warfang, but this dragon was different from any other dragon ever seen, starting with his color. His scales were of a dark purple, going more to red near his paws, with cream scales for his underbelly, and his eyes were of a royal purple. He had a square muzzle and had three horns coming out of his head, one from each side and one from the top. He was now fifteen years old, and looked on top of his physical form.

But what was more unusual about this dragon is that he has the ability to dominate every element. At young age he already mastered fire. What wasn't expected was when, a few years ago, he was training on controlling his fire breath and, suddenly, he exhaled ice. The guardians took this as a signal that this dragon would be destined to do great things, that he was special. But the other dragons thought that this was a bad sign, that this strange purple dragon was a monster that would bring nothing but pain and disgrace.

He already was beeing looked at differently because of his color, but when they discovered that he could control more than one element, they stared at him like he was a freak. During the following years he mastered control over other the elements, electricity, earth, wind, and even over an unknown element consisting of a strange purple energy that the others called convexity. He even discovered he had control over the influx of time.

The more he discovered his gifts, the more he was then called monster, freak, and abomination. Everyone seemed to be either jealous of his abilities or afraid of him. He was always treated like a monster, though he was the son of the leader of the guardians. Almost every day he got bullied by the other students, being the target of pranks and insults, and if he ever tried to defend himself, the others would say that he has started the fight, and this way he couldn't defend himself, leaving his assailants to do whatever they wanted.

He could at least count on the relief of his parents. Well, at least his mother, since his father, as the head guardians, would not show much of his affection in public to not degrade his reputation. And he could rely on her: Marah, the most beautiful dragoness he ever laid his eyes on. She was almost too beautiful to describe her. Not only that, she was the only dragon, besides his parents, that didn't see him as a monster, that treated him like an equal, that was always nice to him, and for all that she did for him, he came to have her as friend and, later, to love her.

In this particular day, he was going to tell her what he really felt about her. He searched for her and eventually found her. But when he found her, she in a love embrace with another. He instantly thought of speaking, but after second guessing he simply left without them noticing he was ever there. And that was why he was walking away from the city, with his head down in sadness.

But he should have known that she would become this close to another. He was too different from other dragons, a freak. How could someone as beautiful and popular as her possibly become interested by someone like him?

He walked to the interior of the forest. The adults always said to keep your distance from the forest because of its dangers, which included apes. But this young dragon had already been in the forest before, and already knew how to defend himself. He had nothing to worry about. Or so he thought.

He walked through the forest 'til he reached a small clearing with a lake in the middle. He discovered this place a few years ago, and it made him feel better for some reason, so he came here when he felt sad or stressed. This place always calmed his nerves down. He walked to the lake and take a few gulps of the pure crystalline water, when he finished he looked to his reflection. He stared at this for a few moments them he hit the water with his paw. He then lay down on his back, staring at the dark night sky.

He stared to the sky for several minutes, looking in particular for a star that distinguished itself for being purple, just like him. His parents told him that this strange-looking star had appeared the day he was born, and that it was a sign that he was destined to great things, that he was something really great. He stared at the star that was purple just like him and that was completelly surrounded by other, normal stars.

"At least the others don't avoid you". He said sadly to the star in the sky. Then he heard a voice talking, a cold, scary voice that could make blood freeze inside the veins and that said.

**"It's sad that only the star doesn't receive bad treatment"**. The young dragon got startled by the voice and immediately got up, looking for the sides searching for the source of the voice and ready for any attack.

"Who's in there? Show yourself." The young dragon demanded for an answer. What come out of the shadows was a bigger, much older black dragon with red markings in his body and two red goat-like horns coming out of his head, in his face a strange evil smile. **"The name's Balthazar, little one, and don't be afraid, because I'm not here to hurt you, in fact, I came to help you."**

The young dragon got confused by this statement. "Help me?"

**"Yes young one. Help you with the sad, difficult life you've got in that nasty city. I really don't like the way the other dragons treat you."** Said the dragon named Balthazar, like someone how was trying to encourage a weakling to stand up from bullies.

The young dragon looked at him with mistrust and a bit of fear. There was something in this dragon that gave him chills. He them said, "Well, thank for your concern, but I think I'm doing very well by myself, and I gotta go now, my parents are probably worried" and with that he started to leave, wanting to go as far as possible from the dark dragon.

**"Very well then"** said Balthazar **"Do as you like. I just thought you would like that the others respected you, that your father would be proud of you, or even for that the kind dragoness be interested for you"**.

At this point the young dragon turned around to face the black dragon once more. This dragon was really just offering everything he always wanted in his life?

"You can really do this?"

**"Oh yes my dear, in fact I can make this and much more for you if you like. I can give you power, power to make all things in your life be good, more power than many other dragons ever dreamed of have. Power to achieve your most prized goals… if you accept, of course".**

The young dragon went to thinking again. In one paw the dragon was a complete stranger and there was still something about him that seemed really wrong. But in another, he could become a powerful dragon, everyone would respect, his father would be proud of him, and the dragoness he loved could finally fall in love with him, the most powerful of the dragons, a dragon that any dragoness in the world would want.

**"So, what do you say? Do you want the power to make everything you dream of come true?"** asked Balthazar.

The young dragon got to thinking for a few moments and hesitantly said, "Y-yes. I want it. I accept".

The older dragon opened a scary dark smile. **"Good, now what's your name young one?"**

The younger dragon stood and said, "My name is Malefor. The first purple dragon"

**"First? Don't be so sure."**

The young dragon called Malefor got confused by this statement. He was going to ask the black dragon if he knew something about purple dragons and if there were more, but he didn't have time because the marks on the body of this dragon started to glow as he started to intone some strange things that seemed more like spells than words. A cloud of dark smoke formed around him and started to advance over Malefor, how backed away in fear and regretting his decision.

"I-I-I changed my mind." he tried to protest, but the black dragon only chuckled and said, **"Sorry kid, but now is too late."** And with that the dark smoke advanced against the young dragon, entering in his body through his nose, mouth and eyes.

The young dragon then started to squirm as his body started to grow and his mind and heart were fill with hate and darkness. He was then assaltued by dark memories of the hate and grief for the ones in Warfang.

When it stopped he had now the size of an adult and he had an evil aura like the one of Balthazar. He opened his eyes whose were now yellow and with vertical slits for his pupils and then said with a new, dark voice **"I'll make then pay. I will make then all pay for my suffering."** Balthazar looked and could only chuckle over his work. The Dark Master was born.


	2. The Innocent Behind the Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a fierce battle with Malefor, the two ndragons seem to finally have managed to deafeat him. However, the Dark Master seems not to accept being defeated, and things took a very unexpected turn as they soon see the Dark Master becoming something else...

_Present Day…_

The new purple dragon, Spyro, and the black dragon, Cynder, were now fighting the last battle with Malefor, the Dark Master, whose was very mad. There was simply no way he could be defeated by those two younglings, not after everything he had gone through to get to this moment. As for the young dragons, they were just trying to do their best to defeat the mad evil dragon and save the world and everyone they lived.

Malefor, ticked off by those two for their interference, just screamed, **"You cannot defeat me, I'm eternal."** Soon after he said those words he exhaled his most powerful convexity breath, which the two young dragons countered with their own breaths of convexity.

The breaths collided, making the walls tremble with the energy. The young dragons were using their strength to deal with all the power the Dark Master could muster. But they were still fighting, because they had things that the evil dragon don't have: they have something worth fighting for.

They both had a whole world that they wanted to save. Spyro had his brother Sparx, the guardians and Cynder, his best friend. Cynder had all the people she knew now, the wish to redeem herself for all the pain she caused and Spyro, the one that saved her and that she came to love. Spyro said to Cynder "Just hang on." The young dragons mustered power they both didn't know they had and advanced along with their breath, that won the battle power with the dark master hitting him with great power that brought him down to the crystal in the center of the world.

The two young dragons landed on the crystal, both slightly panting due to the effort they put in that last attack.

"We did it." said Cynder. But almost immediately after that they heard a moaning. They looked to see the Dark Master getting up with a lot of effort and start limping slowly to them.

**"I'll kill you."** he managed to rasp between pants. **"I'll kill you both."** the young dragons were startled by this; he managed to fight even after all that he suffered? But those where empty threats. It was practically over. He was completely exhausted. Every word he said, every move he made, everything took all his remaining strength. It was taking all his power to just not fall dead right there. He would not survive another attack, and while he knew that, he just refused to let be defeated.

Spyro and Cynder take fighting positions, ready for the last attack from the evil dragon. But then, something happened.

In front of the two, between then and Malefor, appeared a strong, blinding light, which startled then all, but not more than what happened after. The light took the form of three dragons that were completelly made of light, and were facing the young dragons, like they were protecting Malefor from them.

The young dragons returned to the combat stance, thinking that it was another trick of the Dark Master, but the dragons turned away from them and were now facing Malefor.

**"What is this?"** Asked the confused dragon. Then the three dragons made of light them jumped against him, tackling him as they melted on him, covering his body with a bright light. The two young dragons now had become very confused. Malefor just screamed and struggled desperately, trying to get rid of the light dragons that he could feel crawling over his body and even going to inside of him. But then he heard voices, voices that talked to him and that sounded strangely familiar.

_"Malefor, please, stop this."_ said the first, feminine voice.

_"We're not here to hurt you."_ said the second voice, this too a female.

_"Don't fight against us, just let us help."_ said the third voice, that was the one of a male.

Something on those voices calmed down the Dark Master, making him stop struggling, and soon after he lay down, his consciousness fading. The two young dragons watched, amazed, as the dragon know as the Dark Master laid in the ground as he started to shrink, till he was in the same size as Spyro and Cynder. The light then died down and revealed a much younger dragon, around the same age of the two heroes.

The two were staring at the now young Dark Master, till Cynder asked, "What happened?"

"I-I don't know." Spyro said. They would have checked better the young one in front of them, but their thoughts got interrupted by the quake that shook the world, a strong reminder that it was breaking apart.

"What we do now?" asked a desperate Cynder, only to have Spyro answering, "I don't know."

Then in this moment Spyro heard a voice, Ignitus' voice, inside his head, saying.

_"Spyro, when a dragon dies, he not truly leaves this world, he brings a new light, a hope to the future."_

After hearing those words he opened his eyes, his mind plenty sure of what to do.

"Cynder, get out of here."

"No Spyro, let's run away."

"For were Cynder?" the purple dragon asked sadly. "The world is breaking apart, but I think I can fix it."

Cynder looked at him with a determinate look as she said, "Then I'm with you."

The young dragon looked at his companion, in part worried for her, in part impressed by her spirit and grateful for being suck a good and loyal friend. At this he raised from the ground, his body starting to glow in a purple light. Cynder watched as his body glowed stronger and stronger, amazed for suck a display. They could not survive, she could not have another chance, and she had to say it now. Gathering all her courage she managed to whisper to Spyro three words:

"I love you."

As she said that the light became blinding, and spread to the very world, making it resume its course, and making the world that was breaking apart be whole again.

The prophecy finally got fulfilled.

* * *

After the world was restored, in the valley of Avalar, everyone was coming out of their hideouts, looking around, and then they knew who to thank to.

In the sky, could be seen a star formation that resembled the purple dragon named Spyro.

* * *

In the Chronicler's library, the old dragon was busy looking at his books.

"Yeah, everything had gone well. But yet, it is far from over." he said.

"And now, with this new era, a new chronicler must take the role. And it's up to you, Ignitus." The former fire guardian walked from the shadows and toward the blue dragon.

"What do you mean by saying that it's far from over?" asked the red dragon.

"I mean, my friend, that the danger for the dragon realms still existing."

The fire dragon got shocked by this statement. "But Malefor is defeated."

"Malefor wasn't responsible for his acts."

"What?"

"He got forced to act this way for another, many more powerful force. The real danger for this world still lurks in the shadows."

Ignitus was very much surprised for this revelation. Malefor wasn't the real treat to the world? But then who was? And, if this force was far more powerful than him, than what would happen to the world?

"What may be done?" he asked the chronicler worriedly.

The ancient dragon simply said "The books in here have many of the answers. But here's what I can say to you: the two young dragons that saved the world this time will be our greatest hope, along with the others, especially Malefor." These were his last words before he faded in a bright light. The job had now been passed to Ignitus, making his appearance change, making from him the new chronicler.

Ignitus only sighed as he said. "Yeah, young dragon, it seems like your mission isn't over yet."

* * *

In a field in the realms, three forms were lying in the grass, one black and two purple. One of the purple forms, Spyro, slowly opened his eyes, looking around, seeing Cynder lying in the same field as him.

"Cynder!" he bolted and ran to her.

"Cynder! Cynder! Please wake up!" He said shaking her, hoping that she was alright.

He got relieved when she opened her eyes and asked "Spyro?"

"Cynder! Oh, thank the ancestors!"

The black dragoness got up and looked around, seeing the place where they were in that moment. "Then... We did it?"

"Yeah, I think we did."

That was when they heard a groaning coming from behind then. They looked around to see the now younger Malefor lying in the grass, still unconscious. They were at first scared, but soon they overcome this and looked a little closer. He indeed looked a lot younger, around their age, his secondary set of horns seemed that had just started to bud, but there were something more: the evil aura they could feel around him when they fought was now gone.

Cynder then asked "What we do with him?"

Spyro got to thinking and then said "Better take him back to Warfang with us. Maybe the guardians know what to do."

They managed to hold in Malefor and raise fly carrying him. And then they started to head back to Warfang.

* * *

During the trip Cynder was kinda awkward. She talked to Spyro.

"Spyro?"

"Huh?"

"About what I said in the core of the world..."

"What?"

Cynder was surprised by this and said "Yes, what I said back there. Did you hear me, didn't you?

Spyro tough a little and said.

"No, I think I didn't, I think that when I used up all my energy to put the world back together I must have blanked out. What did you said?"

"Wha- No, nothing. I mean, it was nothing important." She said quickly.

"Oh, ok than." Spyro answered.

He didn't hear her! It had taken all of her courage to say that in that critical moment and he simply didn't hear her. And she would never have courage enough to say that again.

As for Spyro, he was just wondering what was going on with Cynder. He always admired her for her strength and her heart. And to tell the truth, he actually loved her, but didn't tell because he was too afraid that she would reject him.

And so the two dragons keep their way back to Warfang, carrying the third dragon and without saying one more word.

* * *

They got across entire fields of grass and rivers. Luckily they knew enough of the topography to know the way back to the dragon city just by the field. They flew for a few hours, and the great city Warfang was in view at the midday.

They fast approached the gate of the dragon city, landing around twenty feet from it. They gently deposited the now young Dark Master on the ground and looked to the gates, quite unsure of what to do.

They knew that if they bring him inside the city he could very well cause serious damage, but if they leave him alone he could escape, and if one of them stayed to watch him he could attack and, they shuddered, even kill one of them. They keep thinking on this problem till they heard voices.

"There they are. They survived." screamed Hunter's voice. That seemed it was coming closer.

The two young dragons turned around and saw the elders and the cheetahs coming right to them. And they saw a little yellow glow coming very fast towards then. It was Sparx.

"Spyro, you're alive buddy." Sparx said happily, hugging the dragon's nose. Spyro could only smile back to his adoptive brother and say "Yeah, it's good to see you again."

Soon the others reached then. There were much talking and some people were cheering. Terrador then spoke "So it's it. Malefor is gone."

The two young dragons shared a look.

"Well, about that..." Spyro said and started to explain of what happened, making the cheetahs talk among then and the guardians adopted a serious look.

"Wait a minute," said Chief Prowlus, who was among the cheetahs. "Did you bring him here!?" He said sounding outraged.

"He was weak and almost dead." Spyro said in defense "And after what have happened we didn't know what to do."

They were so distracted that they didn't notice that the former Dark Master had tiredly opened his eyes and was now trying to get up. Sparx noticed and his face adopted a terrified look. "G-guys."

"You didn't know what to do? I'll tell you what you should have done, you should have killed him." screamed Prowlus.

"Guys..." Sparx called again, seeing the other purple dragon starting to get to his feet.

"Prowlus, please, I'm sure that they only did what they thought being the best." Hunter interjected.

The young purple dragon Malefor was almost on his feet, Sparx was completelly terrified "Guys."

"Please, silence." Said Terrador in a firm tone. "We are all confused, but now we must ponder about the problem we have in paws."

"GUYS!" Sparx screamed. The others finally noticed him and followed his look. Their faces paled as they saw the now young Malefor finally getting to his feet.

Everyone reacted quickly. The cheetahs aimed their bows and the two young heroes and the elders assumed fighting poses, ready for any attack. But it never came.

The young Malefor blinked his eyes, that were no longer that yellow, evil-looking ones, but instead were normal, friendly and of a royal purple. He looked straight to the young dragons.

"You-you two..." he said. His voice was now different, a lot younger, and that secondary evil tone was gone, actually, that voice sounded really nice to hear. The younger Malefor looked everyone around him, and the destroyed wall.

"This place... No, it cannot be..." He said, more to himself then to anyone else.

He suddenly started to move. Everyone expected him to attack, but instead he gone till a great rock that was around and started to slam his head against it.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" He repeated every time he hit his head in the rock. This startled everyone how was in there.

Spyro gone till him and make him stop "What are you doing?" the younger Dark Master looked at him scared for a few moments, then whispered to himself "It wasn't a dream..."

"What?"

"It wasn't a dream..." He repeated, but a little louder, but still seemed that he was talking to himself. "IT WASN'T A DREAM!" He screamed on the top of his lungs, startling everyone even most, before he fell over again unconscious.

There was a deep silence in the place. Most of people, especially Sparx, were like, 'What the hell just happened?' Prowlus then stepped forward with a knife draw, advancing against the unconscious form of the former Dark Master.

Spyro noticed him and stepped in his way. "What are you going to do?"

"What it looks like? I'm going to get rid of him once and for all."

Spyro never really liked the Dark Master, but after what had happened he didn't think that he could let him be harmed. He didn't know exactly why, but for some reason he couldn't let him be harmed. "I-I'm not letting you do this." He said to Prowlus with a determinate tone.

"What, are you on his side now? Just get out of my way."

Then Terrador interjected. "Prowlus, calm down."

"But-"

"I know your feelings, but in the light of what had happened it would be foolish to act without knowing what is going on." This argument defeated the cheetah, which reluctantly sheathed his knife again and walked back to his place.

"What about him?" asked Cynder gesturing towards the young Malefor.

Terrador got to think, and then said "We're bringing him inside. We'll put him in a room and enchant a spell to prevent him from escaping. You two will keep an eye on him, just for precaution, while we discuss what to do now." That's when the earth dragon noticed one thing. "Where's Ignitus?"

Spyro and Cynder shared a sad look, and then they started to tell everyone the sad fate of the fire guardian.

* * *

Far from there, a dark dragon with red markings all over his body was sitting on a throne when one of his minions, a little dark humanoid that seemed made of shadows with red glowing eyes, walked to him and spoke, **"Master Balthazar, Malefor got defeated."**

**"I know you brainless shadow. If he wasn't then the world would be destroyed by now."** The black dragon named Balthazar retorted harshly.

Then the figure said, **"And he got purified."**

**"WHAT?"**

**"Yes master, somehow he got purified from the darkness you inserted on him."** said the small figure to his master. **"The two young dragons how defeated him take him to the city of Warfang. He is now on jurisdiction of the guardians."**

Balthazar could only look away and say to himself, **"This wasn't in my plans."** He then turned to his minion and said, "I didn't expect this, but it is not big deal. Prepare to send some of our forces to Warfang. It's time to remind them of who is the _real_ Dark Master."

* * *

Back in Warfang, the young dragon known as Malefor was put in a locked room, in a bed in the ground. And now he was moving very much, lost in a dream.

* * *

_(Malefor's Dream)_

_He was in the middle of a great field, he was surrounded. Every side he looked he saw several dragons, cheetahs and other creatures. All of them were looking at him with hate and despise._

_"Here is he." said one cheetah. "The Dark Master. The one how did all of this to our world."_

_"He's a monster. A demon that was sent from hell just to cause death and suffering." said a mole._

_The young Malefor, who was scared and hurt by those words tried to defend himself. "I-it wasn't my fault. T-that black dragon. He was the real responsible."_

_"So it was him how destroyed our homes, how killed our loved ones, how tried to destroy the very world?" asked a dragon._

_"Well, no but..."_

_"It was you. You did all of this. The black dragon only give you the power to do so." another dragon said, his voice filled with hate. "You're the one who brought all this to the world."_

_"B-but I..." the young purple dragon tried to talk, but his toughts were interrupted by one voice that come behind him._

_"They're right."_

_The young dragon turned around to see a great dragon, red with an orange underbelly and wing membrane; he had dark red eyes, and a stern look. "They had always been right."_

_"Father!" the young dragon said._

_The older dragon that was his father just looked him with anger and disgust. "They have been right all along. You really were nothing but a monster."_

_"Dad..." the young dragon said, his heart starting to sink._

_"You had always been a great and immeasurable problem. You had always been a burden to me and your mother since you hatched, and this was your greatest deception ever." the fire dragon continued his tirade. "I should have killed you after you left your egg. I never loved you anyway."_

_This was too much for the poor little dragon, his eyes started to get went and tears run down his face. He didn't try to hide then, as he used to do in front of his father, at this point it didn't matter. It didn't matter because his father, the one he always wanted to please, the one he always wanted being proud of him, now was telling him that he was his biggest disgust, it didn't have any way of this becoming worse._

_"And here I thought I've wasted my time with you." said a second, feminine voice._

_He opened his eyes and looked up to see a new dragon, a female that was green with wood in her underbelly and wing membrane, her eyes of a jade green. He instantly recognized her. "Mom!"_

_She had a look that was for great disapproval. "Since you hatched I took care of you, have protected you, cheered you up. If I knew you're going to do those things, I would have killed you right way and not wasted anymore of my time." She said harshly to the young dragon, that was now completely destroyed "The only good thing of this all, is that after you're looked up in that dimensional prison, I was finally free of you."_

_This was all that the young dragon could take. He started to cry and sob his heart now in pieces._

**_"You know, they're right,"_ ** _Talked a third voice, this one dark and scary, from behind him. He quickly turned around, and faced himself. His other self, the one that came to be know as the Dark Master._

**_"Look around, we made them pay, we made everyone that make us suffer pay with their own suffering. We got everything we always wanted."_ **

_"NO!" the young Malefor screamed. "You're wrong, I just wanted the others to respect me, to look at me with pride, I-I never wanted anyone to suffer... I NEVER WANTED ANY OF THIS!"_

_The Dark Master only smiled and said, **"Maybe, but yet we did it, now everyone knows us, everyone fears us. No one will ever forgive us for what we have done, no one will ever accept us back, and no one will ever forgive YOU."** And with those words he started to laugh, that terrible, blood freezing laugh._

_The young dragon was devastated, terrified. "No, no. NOOOOOOOO."_

* * *

The young Malefor woke up screaming. He looked around panting, the memories of his nightmare still fresh in his mind. Then everything came back to him. The things he had done, the way he fought the two dragons, the way he was defeated, the look in everyone's face when he first woke up.

His heart was completely in misery. He started then to cry uncontrollably. All he ever wanted was that the others respected him, that they were proud of him. He just wanted to be loved.

And now, he was the Dark Master, the one that everyone knew as the greatest of all monsters. It didn't matter that he wasn't in control of himself, didn't mattered that he regretted it and wanted to redeem himself, they would always see him as a monster, and he knew that nothing would change it.

They all hated him, they all saw him as a monster, and he saw himself as a monster beyond all forgiveness. All the ones that could be on his side were now long gone, along with everything he ever had in his life.

He had nothing more to live for.

* * *

Outside the room, Spyro and Cynder were guarding the locked door, in the case of the former Dark Master tried to escape while the guardians argued to decide what to do now. They were both in front of the door, sitting on their hind quarters, Sparx constantly flying around then.

"Sooo, the guy just tried to kill you and destroy the world, and you two decided just to bring him here?" said Sparx. "Well, it was not your brightest idea."

"It seemed the best thing to do," Spyro retorted. "And Cynder surely agrees with me."

"Yeah, evil dragon, evil dragoness, it seems like they are feeling like a family." Cynder gave Sparx a death glare.

Then they heard a scream coming from inside the room, it was short, but yet they heard. "I think he got problems." Cynder said, but Sparx quickly put in the middle.

"Oh, you're simply going in for hearing a scream from _him_? It can very well be a trap." As soon as Sparx said those words they could hear a small crying come from the room.

"Sparx, maybe we should see if he's okay," said Spyro.

"Oh, come on, are you falling for the old trick of the false crying? It's emotional blackmail. When we were young and mom and dad were angry with me I did it almost every time, it usually worked."

Soon the crying became weaker and seemingly stopped.

"See? Everything a theater." Said Sparx like someone saying to someone else that the sky is blue.

"You don't worry with him?" asked Cynder to the dragonfly.

"After he tried to destroy the world and kill everyone? Let me think-NO."

"Well, I think it don't make any bad just checking." Spyro said picking the key in his neck and unlocking the door. They opened it to see the room. It was pretty good and well illuminated. In the ground was the small circular bed with white sheets that the former Dark Master was supose to be in. But the said dragon wasn't in sight.

Spyro looked at the room and tried "Malefor? Are you there?"

Sparx was hiding behind Spyro's horn and said weakly "If you're thinking in attacking, better think twice, bub. Those two will kick your ass again." But there was no answer.

"Maybe he had flown away." tried Cynder.

"No, remember what the guardians said, the magic they put in this room voids the breath powers and the flying, or they would not have put him on a room with a window."

Sparx looked to the said window and said "Well, maybe they're wrong, look!"

The two young dragons looked over to see now the young Malefor on the window. At first they tough that he was going to escape, but then they noticed it didn't seem like this, he was with his head down and they could still hear small sobs coming from him. He seemed not have noticed that the three were now there.

"What is he doing?" asked Cynder. Immediately after this words, he moved his wings to the front of his body, and a ripping sound was heard when he used his claws to rend his wings, crying in pain.

This completely startled everyone.

"Wow."

"What the..."

"Ohh, mad dragon, mad dragon, let's get outta here before he see us." Sparx whispered to the two. But the two young dragons didn't take any attention on him, their eyes still focused on the young Malefor, with his severed, bleeding wings, and seemed now be looking at the sky. Suddenly it hit then: he was going to jump.

"No, wait." Spyro tried to say, but Malefor had already thrown himself from the window.

What the two dragons did next they did without thinking twice: they ran and flew to the window, diving to catch the former Dark Master while he fell.

Malefor was just there, without moving, without screaming, just waiting to hit the ground and finish this for once, to finally pay for everything he did. Then Spyro and Cynder flew to him fast, they grabbed him by his front legs and opened their wings, saving him from just a few meters before he hit the ground.

Malefor, surprised for not hitting the ground, opened his eyes and looked to the sides to see Spyro and Cynder holding on him. They had just saved his life.

The two young heroes placed the dragon on the ground gently, Malefor just looked at them with a questioning look, before asking, "Why?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Why didn't you just let me fall?" Malefor repeated the question "Why did you saved me?"

The two were kinda confused by this question, but Spyro stepped forward and said "Because it seemed like the right thing to do. I mean, we would not let someone just kill himself, no matter what he had done, right?"

"I would let him." said Sparx, who was hit by Cynder's tail.

The young Malefor looked at Spyro and Cynder like they had just grown second heads, his eyes then started to water.

"Spyro, Cynder, I... I don't deserve this." He started to cry again without any control, surprising the two and leaving then really worried. "After all the things I've done, after all I've tried to do, especially to you two, I don't deserve you to save my life, I don't deserve you being nice to me, I don't deserve anyone being nice to me." He said in tears.

"Yah know? I agree with the nutty dragon," said Sparx.

"I didn't want any of this, but it wasn't my choice, I couldn't control myself." Malefor cried.

Everyone got surprised by this statement. "Wait, couldn't control yourself? What do you mean?" asked Spyro.

"He is nuts, he took too much blows of you two in the head, his brain is completely scrambled." said Sparx matter of factly.

"It was him," Malefor continued. "That black dragon, he was the responsible for this. He put that thing on me that make me do those things."

"Wait, what black dragon?" asked Cynder.

"That black dragon, the one with glowing red marks." Before they could say anymore things, they heard the sound of the alarm. They knew that the city was under attack.

"Oh my. What it is now?"

"Well it's obvious. The thing that was left of the apes came to take back their boss." said Sparx.

"I don't think so." said Spyro, without knowing exactly what he was implying, maybe it was his instincts "Better we go, perhaps we can help."

And with this the two young dragons come to the center of the event, leaving the young Malefor alone. He looked to the ground, tears still forming in his eyes. He indeed was very sad, and believed the words of the dragonfly were true. But, if it was really his fault, it was his responsibility to help face this. Maybe the apes would still obey him, maybe he could order then to stop and leave, and if not, he could at least help to kick them out of the city. With this thought, he wiped out the tears that were left, looked to the directions Spyro and Cynder had gone and followed right after.

* * *


	3. The Real Dark Master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warfang is under attack yet again. And this time, by creatures that no one has seen before.  
> Malefor surprises everyone by actually helping fighting the creatures.
> 
> Once the battle was done, everyone wants answers, and they do come, as everyone learns who is their true enemy.

The city was under attack. Everyone gathered in the part of the wall that was destroyed to fight the invaders. Everyone expected to see apes, but what they saw was something entirely new. Those creatures have a very distinct humanoid form, they were completely black, as if made of darkness itself, and had glowing red eyes. Those creatures attacked with no remorse or pity, and seemed to honestly don't care if they were going to live or die.

Those things were strong, and were, in fact, giving a tough battle. The cheetahs were fighting the things, taking two or three arrows in each one to make them fall. The moles were fighting armed with common armament, taking dawn some of the creatures. The Guardians were there attracted by the fight, and they could take down many of them, but those creatures were strong, stronger than the apes or the things they had become after, giving a really tough battle. The creatures vanished soon after defeated, dissipating in black fog.

Spyro and Cynder arrived in the place, along with Sparx. They all saw the strange creatures that were ink black with red eyes.

"What are those things?" asked Cynder, never had seeing those creatures before, not even when she was under the control of Malefor.

"I don't know." replied Spyro "But I really don't like the look of them." There was something on them that gave him chills.

"Maybe our other purple friend had saved them to a moment like this, don't you think?" said Sparx, not wasting a chance.

"Please Sparx, not now." said an annoyed Cynder.

"We'll talk about were those things come from later, now we gotta help." said Spyro, not wanting to prolong their discussion. And with that, he and Cynder went to battle.

Spyro entered attacking one of the dark creatures with a fire breath, making it burn and soon after disappear in black fog with a clawed attack. Cynder followed his mark and attacked with her fear breath, taking out three in one attack and them knocking them out with a blow her spear tail.

The creatures noticed that they were under attack by those two young dragons, and then started to advance against them. The dragons reacted quickly. Spyro dodged the attack and then grabbed one of the creatures, flew up and then threw it back on the earth with full force, killing it. Cynder moved around, hitting one with her tail, and then she used her poison breath to attack it, finishing it with a darkness breath.

* * *

Malefor had just arrived on the place of the battle. He could see everyone fighting dark creatures that he, himself, never remembered of ever having seeing in his life. That was an evil aura around those things that make him remember that black dragon named Balthazar, but he caught with the corner of his eye something that diverged his attention.

One of the dark creatures was sneaking up behind Spyro, seemingly was trying to attack him. Spyro didn't noticed because he was too busy trying to defeat all the creatures that were on his line of sight. Malefor didn't have time to warn him before the thing jumped on him.

* * *

Spyro got caught out of guard when one of the creatures jumped on his back, pinning him to the ground.

"SPYRO!" screamed Cynder, getting attention of Hunter and Terrador, who were close. They watched as the creature arm turned into a sharp scythe. It raised its arm, ready to cut off Spyro's head. Everyone was ready to act, but they didn't get the chance, because the creature was hit by a powerful beam of purple energy, making it instantly dissipate.

Malefor, with his wings that were still bleeding, appeared and helped him to get up. "Spyro, are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, thank you." Spyro was a little stunned, along with the others who saw it. He had defeated one of the creatures with just one attack, showing that he was still very strong, but it wasn't this that stunned them the most.

Malefor had just saved Spyro's life.

Malefor looked around, spotting the dark creatures. "What are those things?"

"We're hoping that you could tell us." said Cynder

"We worry about this later, now we have to worry about getting rid of then" said Terrador.

And with that they returned to fight, Malefor entering along with then.

* * *

After a long and hard battle, mostly of those things were destroyed, the ones that were left leaved, and now everyone's attention was focus on the purple dragon that was formerly known as the Dark Master.

"Here it is" said a voice among the cheetahs, that happened to be the one of Prowlus. "The cause of all our problems."

Malefor backed away at this. The thing of his dream was going to happen now? But Spyro intermitted.

"Don't talk to him like this, he helped defeat those things."

Prowlus was not convinced. "Yeah, things that came here to rescue him so he could destroy all of us. For all we know those things were another of his creations". At this words many of the presents talked among them, but this time Terrador intermitted.

"Prowlus, as Spyro said, Malefor didn't seemed willing to accept the help of those things, not in the middle of the battle when he stopped one of then when it tried to kill Spyro. And look what those things had done to his wings." He finished gesturing to Malefor's severed wings, what was when Cynder talked.

"Well, to tell the truth, Malefor did this to himself." That surprised everyone, and then Cynder told them about the room and Malefor's attempt to take his own life.

"And why exactly did you saved him?" asked Prowlus.

Spyro got surprised by this. Did Meadow really cared so little for Malefor? Did he really hate him so much?

"Well, I think that it was the right thing to do. I mean... it seemed right."

"Everyone, silence now." said Terrador with a firm voice. He then turned to the former Dark Master. "Malefor, why did you try to kill yourself?" He asked in the most civilized way he could, considering everything the purple dragon had done.

Malefor was surprised by how Terrador talked, but still think that he didn't deserve this. "Because... because I have nothing left." Everyone listened carefully "All the people who ever cared about me are now gone, and, after all I've done, I don't think that anyone will ever forgive me."

"And since when do you care for any other aside of yourself?" asked Prowlus. "For all we know you can very well just pretending, waiting to attack us well we drop the guard."

"Prowlus." said Terrador harshly. But Malefor interjected.

"No, he's right." everyone was now staring at the young dragon. "After everything I did, I don't think I deserve any one of you to like me or even believe me. But, I just want you to know that I didn't want any of this to happen. It was all because that black dragon."

"Black dragon, you mean Cynder?" asked Cyril.

"No, that male dragon, the one of many years ago..." But before Malefor could go more on his talk, he was suddenly interrupted by a dark crystal that fallen from the sky, making everyone reel back a few steps. All the eyes looked up to see one of the dark creatures, one with wings, before it flow away. The dragons could have followed it if the crystal had not started to glow and after produced an image.

Everyone watched as the image take the form of a dark purple smoke, in which formed the image of a dragon, a black dragon with red markings. A dragon that Malefor would recognize anywhere. " **Greetings, my friends.** " said the black dragon.

"You!" said Malefor

" **Ah, hello Malefor, it has been so long.** " the black dragon greeted the young dragon, but was quickly interrupted by Terrador.

"How are you? Identify yourself."

The black dragon smiled " **You had probably already heard of me, in dark whispers in the middle of the night, or stories your mother used to tell you to make you behave. My name is Balthazar, the first, real and only Dark Master.** "

Terrador adopted a terrified look, like he had just seen the devil himself. Spyro and Cynder were both surprised by this show of fear. Not only Terrador seemed worried, but everyone had backed off some steps, the other guardians were terrified, and the usually fearless Prowlus looked like a kid who had just seen a phantom.

"B-B-Balthazar?" exclaimed Terrador "You're supposed to be dead." He accused. Balthazar only chuckled.

" **Yeah, I almost died the last time, the last time I fought a purple dragon.** " Then he turned his look to Malefor.

" **For many times, through the ages, I tried to take and conquer this world. And every single time I got stopped by one of those annoying purple pests."** He said with a very bittersweet tone **"That's why I thought that would be helpful to me to have one of them working for me, as a general, you know Malefor?** "

The young purple dragon backed away, he was glaring the black dragon with anger.

" **I thought that if I could make one of the purple dragons my general, so nothing would be ever able to stopping my in taking this whole world. So I waited patiently to a new one to born. And when I have the chance, I went to you, Malefor, and corrupted you with my darkness. I wanted a general that were there when the next purple dragon arrived, so I put enough darkness in you to stop your aging.** "

_So that's why I'm still young_ Malefor tough.

" **I gave you power to do whatever you wanted, and how did you thanked me? You betrayed me, stole my title, and tried to destroy the world that I have battled so long to conquer. I wanted to appear, but why ruin my disguise, the guardians imprisoned you, they prophesied that another purple dragon would defeat you, so all I had to do was wait, eventually you and the new purple dragon would destroy one another, and I would be free to rule this world.** "

Malefor was furious, he wanted that Balthazar right in front of him, so he could beat the crap out of him. "Your plan didn't work."

**"Excuse me?"**

"Your plan didn't work." Malefor repeated, a smile creeping his face "I'm still alive, and so is Spyro. We still can beat you, along with Cynder."

Balthazar looked at him for a few moments and then chuckled  **"Oh, there are three little hatchlings coming after me, I'm sooo scared. Don't make me laugh. Even if you are really strong enough to defeat me, what I highly doubt, I have wisely used my time. I created a whole titanic army to take over this world for once. And considering that thanks to you there only six dragons left, including you, Malefor, there's nothing that can stop me now"**  Balthazar finished laughing evilly as the image faded.

Malefor looked down in defeat. Spyro felled his sadness and moved close to him. "Don't worry. I'm sure we can defeat this guy."

"Why would he want it?" Prowlus's voice could be heard. He walked to the dragons and pointed an accusing finger to Malefor. "For years you made us suffer with your schemes, for all we know this could be a well endowed plot to make us believe you so you could attack us in the back." Those words hurt the heart of the young dragon, making him low his head, tears forming in his eyes again. Spyro just couldn't believe, neither could Cynder or the guardians. All of this and Prowlus was still accusing Malefor?

"Listen here you old bittersweet cat." Cynder raised her voice, surprising everyone. "Can't you see his regret and suffering? Can't you see that he had enough pain already? It wasn't even his fault. He was made to act like this by this Balthazar guy." She continued, her eyes blazing with anger and his voice carried of rage. "Did you know him before he got corrupted? Do you know someone who had? Cause if you do than you can talk about him, but if you don't them JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE." She finished with an angry scream that made even Terrador flinch.

Then she just stood there, panting from the stress and keeping an angry look in her face. Everyone was now looking at her with wide eyes. Some of them even remembered the time she was still corrupted, for the way her voice sounded with anger and the fire in her eyes. Spyro was actually impressed. he had never seen Cynder like that before. Sparx was, by saying, scared, he had hidden behind Spyro's horn. Malefor just was there, looking at Cynder. She was really defending him?

Cynder recovered her composure and finished. "He has no fault for those things. Balthazar made him do them." she looked at the former Dark Master "He deserves a second chance, or at least the benefit of the doubt."

In this moment Terrador recovered his voice and cleared his throat "She's right, we should not judge Malefor now in face of the new situation. Now we have bigger problems to worry about anyway." he then turned to Prowlus "Take the cheetahs back and double the guard, in the case of their return."

Prowlus, reluctantly, bowed and gave the cheetahs orders to go back, sending Cynder and Malefor a mistrusted look as he walked away. Then Terrador turned to the moles "And you get back to work, we really need to fix this wall now." And then the moles start their work again. Then he finally turned to the three young dragons.

"You come with me and the other guardians to the temple, there's a thing we need to discuss." And with that he walked to the temple, with the young dragons on his tail.

* * *

During the walk to the temple the guardians were right on the leading, while the young dragons were walking behind them, Sparx constantly flying around them. Malefor was really tired from this day, though he had just wake up less than one hour ago. He was also confused that the ones he thought would prejudice him were now being really nice to him. Looking at his two companions he asked.

"Spyro? Cynder?" the two dragons turned to Malefor by hearing he call his names.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you doing this?" he questioned "Why are you two protecting me and being so nice to me after all I've done? How can you?"

"I was thinking the same thing, ya know." said the like always Sparx.

Spyro thought a little. "Well, I don't know exactly. I think is because is the right thing to do. And, now I know that things I think that my instincts where right." He smiled at the purple dragon. "None of those things was really your fault."

Malefor just stared at him for a few moments before Cynder spoke. "It's true. And wanna know something?" she leaned closer to him "Spyro has told me about the time he saved me from your control." This made Malefor few ashamed, but soon she talked more "The thing that happened to you in the core of the world make me remember what he described."

Malefor looked up at her, finding her looking back at him with a sympathetic look. "I too did horrible things while I was corrupted, and like you none of them I really wanted." She smiled at him "If you don't deserve a second chance, so neither do I."

Malefor stopped on his tracks, staring at the two. He then lowered his head and started to sob.

"Malefor, what's wrong?" asked Spyro. Malefor then raised his head with tears falling down his eyes and did something really unexpected. He moved closer to the two dragons and hugged then with his wings, staining them with blood of his wings and tears of his face.

"M-Malefor..."

"Thank you" the young purple dragon said "Thank you very much." He was in fact thanking then, not only because they had been on his side, but because they defended him and forgive him. They gave him a new hope.

"Ooh, this is the cutest scene I've ever seen." said Sparx "I'm gonna puke."

Terrador looked behind to the young dragons and said "Hurry up now, we have to discuss a very important matter, inside the temple". And with that they resumed their walk to the dragon temple. Spyro and Cynder were now thinking that Malefor wasn't truly evil, and Malefor was happy, really happy, like he hadn't been in ages.

* * *

When they arrived to the temple, they sat in a circle and, before the talk started, Terrador put a few red crystals in front of Malefor.

"You better use this. Because of your wings."

Malefor was really surprised by this act of compassion. He hesitated for a few seconds, then he smashed the crystals with his tail, and the shards flew to his wings , healing the from the damage and making them hole again.

"It's better now." Malefor said as he examined his wings.

"Yeah, sure, but try anything and what you did to those wings will seem humane." said Sparx, flying right in front of the nose of Malefor.

"Well," said Cynder, wanting to break the tension, "what is so important? It has something to do with that Balthazar?"

Cyril had a serious look in his face "Yes, it in fact has."

"You see, long before Malefor," Terrador started, "there lived a black dragon. He was very talented with the magic and spells, and as he grew he achieved more power and knowledge. But no one could predict that the desire for power could come to corrupt him."

"He become evil?" asked Cynder

"Yes" Terrador continued "He started messing with ancient black magic. He was corrupted by those uncontrollable powers; his once good mind got twisted and tainted by those evil energies. He claimed be the most powerful being, and by right the king of all dragons and every other creature that habited the world."

"Do all black dragons have an automatic system to madness?" asked Sparx annoyingly, granting him a death glare from Cynder.

"Well," Terrador continued, "Balthazar in fact tried to take the world by force. He was very powerful, and seemed that no one could ever stop him. That was when someone defied him. A dragon different of every dragon seem until then. A purple dragon."

This surprised the young dragons. "You mean I really wasn't the first?" asked Malefor.

"In fact no," said Cyril. "There had been other purple dragons before, all of them how opposed Balthazar and protected this world from him."

"Balthazar got defeated by this purple dragon, and by all the others that come after him," Terrador said. "When he fought the last purple dragon born before you Malefor, he disappeared after the last battle, so everyone considered him dead. Until now."

Malefor thought for a few moments "But, when I was born, everyone got surprised by my color, how could they not remember?"

"Due to the great power inherent in all purple dragons, the guardians thought that it was better that their existence was kept as a secret until they were born again, to prevent the evil forces from try to destroy then while they were still in the eggs."

"Oh."

"But it seems that it was a mistake," Volteer said. "After all, if everyone knew about the purple dragons they would have much more help, in my opinion."

"Truth be told," said Cynder.

Malefor looked to the ground in sadness "But this doesn't matter now." Everyone turned to face him. "Balthazar is right, with just a few dragons left and him with a whole army; we have no chance to defeat him."

"That's why we want to talk with you." said Terrador, granting him the three young dragons looking him in the face. "We want you to contact the surviving dragons in the secret villages."

 

 

 

 

 


	4. The Quest Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon learning about the existence of hidden dragon villages, where the dragons and other creatures could have a safe haven from the dangers of the war, the young dragoons immediately set on a mission to find these hidden villages, aiming to contact the hidden dragons and request their help with the incoming battle. However, as they set into this quest, the enemy won`t e far behind...

The young dragons were all taken back by what Terrador had just said. Spyro and Cynder's reaction was like "are you serious", while Sparks was like "WHAT!?", and Malefor, was, more than anything, hopeful. There are still dragons alive? He thought i didn't kill all of them?

"Terrador, are you serious?" asked Cynder "I thought all the other dragons had been killed." Cyril turned to her and said "Well, this was the plan: make you and Malefor think this, and keep the dragons safe, along with the other eggs."

The young dragons were taken back again "Other eggs!?" exclaimed Malefor, Voolter nooded "Yes, you see, for the danger of attacking the eggs in the year of the dragon, only part of them was kept in the temple, the other eggs were carried with the dragons to the villages, so they could be safe."

So Malefor had not destroyed all the eggs! He had not condemned the dragons to extinction. This must have been the better new he received in the day. And it made him feel better inside. "And where are them?" He asked. Terrador sighed and said "We don't know."

The young dragons stared back at them, Sparx was the first to speak "Are you serious?" Cyril then said "We thought that maybe, if one of the guardians was captured, it would be better that we didn't knew about the villages, so we could not give this information if we were interrogated."

"Oh." was Spyro's only answer, and Voolter spoke "We only know that exist tem villages inhabited by dragons that ran away to protect themselves and the eggs. And some of them are protected by other guardians." The young dragons were taken back by this last part. "Other guardians?" asked Spyro

"Yes, young one." Said Terrador "There are one guardian for each element in the dragon temple, Fire, Electricity, Ice and Earth. But there is more elements, Water, Wind, Shadows, and Light."

"I never knew that!" Exclaimed Spyro, "The other guardians teach in different temples. I never knew the location of the other, but I thought it had been taken too, and the guardians I thought had died."

"Well, another part of the plan that worked " Said Voolter "We wanted you too think that the other guardians had vanished so you would not search for them and would let them alone to protect the villages."

"Oh." was Malefor's only answer. Then Spyro said "And there is other elements for be mastered by the purple dragon?"

"Yes, young dragon." Said Terrador "The Purple dragon must dominate every element, even the ones of the other temple. You were suppose to learn them in due time, to be in all chances of defeating Malefor. We were waiting for you to be ready. but appeared many setbacks that prevented it."

Spyro only nodded knowing that they must be talking about the fact he got three years stuck inside one crystal, and then Cynder said "But, if the villages are hidden and not even you know its location, how do we find them?"

The group went to thinking at this, the guardians had actually no way of helping them find the villages. Then Sparx said "You don't expect for we search then around the lands, do you? It will take like, forever!"

"Well." said Malefor hesitantly "Maybe there is a way.". All the eyes turned to him. He kept silence for a few moments them said "Do you have a map of the lands?" Voolter nodded, he went away and came back with a big map, that ha meters. He deposited it in front of Malefor.

"Well, what do you expect to receive from this map?" asked Spyro. Malefor turned to him and said "Well, I learned a lot of things in the centuries I lived. Betwen them ways to find things. As long as they're not hidden by powerful magic."

"Oh really?" asked Sparx "Them why did you not found those villages before, big guy?" Malefor looked at him "Because I didn't knew they existed." he then turned to the map "But Now I know, and I know what to search for."

The guardians shared a look. Well, if Malefor could find the villages now, it could be a good thing. Well, but surelly, that was stil the possibility of Prowlus being right, and that it could be a trick, should they let Malefor try and find the villages location, or they should prevent him from doing so. Terrador gave one look to Spyro and Cynder, they looked back, and like guessing his thought, they both nodded, saying that they trusted Malefor. The great earth dragon sighed and turned to the former Dark Master "Go ahead, young dragon."

Malefor nodded, and turned to face the map. The others watched curiously to see what he was going to do. The young purple dragon closed his eyes and took some deep breaths, then he started to mumble what seemed some senseless words. It seemed more enchanting then any other thing, then he took one deep breath and breathed fire over the map, igniting it.

"Whoa!" said Sparx, actually all the others were startled by this. The fire spreaded quickly over the map, but Malefor kept enchanting strange words in front of it. He then said "This is one strong location spell. The only parts of the map that are of your interest, are the parts were what we search are in."

Then the map suddenly stop burning, all the fire dying down at once, revealing at all eight points in the map that were perfect circles that were not burned down. The first one was an area covered in moutain. The second was a forest, another was an ice and snow field, another was what seemed a whole area around a vulcano, there was another part that too was close to a mountain, and there was a desert land. Other was an elevated field, and the last was a formation that seemed a canyon.

The others dragon watched in interest to the parts of the map that weren't burned down. Malefor then said "Those places that didn't burned, the villages are somewhere inside them."

"Okay, now we can go." said Sparx happily "And the evil dragon stay here where you can watch him." Cynder shoot him a death glare, but soon Terrador spoke. "Malefor will go with you. It may be useful to have him around. And he seems to be of good help."

The dragons nodded, but Sparx seemed to don't like having the former lider of all evil things around. "But be careful, those places are well guarded by the guardians and powerful dragons. Even with the apparent defeat of the evil they will still being ready to fight, specially if they see Cynder and Malefor, even being young ones." Cynder and Malefor looked down, Terrador cleared his throat and continued. "And we have to be careful about Baltazar. I heard many stories of the horrible things he did, and if half of them are truth, so we can just expect for him to not to know about the secret dragon villages."

No one noticed the small shadow figure hiding behind a column, its red eyes shining. Then it stepped in a shadow and disappeared from sight.

* * *

" **THE SECRET WHAT!?** " Screamed Balthazar as he received the news from his spy minion, that stayed behind to see if there was any problem. Balthazar thought it was useless, due to having been little threat let behind. Well, he was proved wrong.

" **This was what I heard they say, Master. And they're going to them to contact the dragons to help in the war.** " Balthazar considered this. This wasn't in his plans, he expected the other guardians, along with any other dragon to have been killed. But if there was still a good number of dragons alive, then it would be harder to win the world, specially if between the survivors there were... He snapped " **I worked far to hard to let everything be ruined like this!** "

" **Do you want us to find the villages sir?** " Balthazar was about to answer, but then a thought crossed his mind, and he smiled " **There is no need for this.** " The minion looked at him " **Sir?** " Balthazar turned to him smiling " **Why waste my resources to find those villages if the young dragons are going straight to each of them? They will find the villages to me each by time, and then I'll destroy each of them with all their dragons. As Malefor should have done.** " He then laughed and turned back to his minion. " **Keep an eye for those dragons, be sure that they don't make a single move without you knowing.** "

The shadow creature bowed and leaved the room, leaving Balthazar alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Back in Warfang, the dragons were ready to leave, all of them wearing bags with somethings, like a few crystals and a smaller version of the map, with the right places all marked. The guardians were there to send them the last warnings.

"Be careful in your way." said Voolter "The dragons are still ready to fight, as we already said."

"And the places were they are equally dangerous to visitors." warned Cyril

"Once you find them, you must tell the dragons of the circumstances and send them straight to Warfang. So we can be in group and ready for any attack." said finally Terrador. "Now go, and good luck, young dragons."

The young dragons bowed to them, and then take flight, ready to search for the villages and the dragons. Unknowing that they were being watched.

"So, were do we go now?" asked Sparx. Malefor picked up the map in his bag and gave it a look. "Well, the closest place from here are the Mountains of Maltar. It is a great closing of mountains, and is one of the places were you can easily get lost."

"Sounds really inviting." said Cynder. And then Spyro said "Well, its your next stopping. We can arrive there in one day or two. Now lets go." Then they kept flying, aiming in the next stop, without ever suspecting that red, cruel eyes were watching their very moves.

 

 


	5. The Way to the Mountains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the young dragons take their flight in direction to the first of the hidden villages, they see themselves with time to reflect about a lot of things. As they do, the two purple dragons see themselves being assaulted by thoughts. Malefor about the guilty that he feels, and Spyro about the way that Cynder is getting closer to Malefor...

The young dragons now flew over the land. The rocks, trees and other features quickly passing away beneath them. Spyro and Cynder looked determined to what was right in front of them, but Malefor felt very uneasy, and it was easy to see in his expression. Cynder quickly noticed this and asked "Malefor, is everything okay?"

The purple dragon was surprised by this sudden question, the thought of telling was everything okay passed his head, but he quickly thought better and shake his head "No, it is not."

Both Spyro and Cynder looked at him, and Spyro asked "What is wrong?" Malefor sighed heavily and said "I'm not sure if I should come with you to those villages." Both Spyro and Cynder eyed him as he continued "I only brought pain and suffering in the way I did as the Dark Master. They only know me as a monster, and the other dragons too. I'm afraid that if they see me with you and recognize me they will not trust us and the mission will be a complete failure."

"Yah know?I agree with him." said Sparx, granting the others to look at him "I guess that if the devil in dragon's shape appeared I would not exactly be inclined to trust him."

"Sparx!" said Cynder to him, and looking at Malefor, that had dropped a little his head. She assured him "Don't care about him, he is always like that."

"Hey!" said Sparx rather annoyed "Its a crime now to say the truth?" He didn't notice that the more he talked the more it seemed to make Malefor sad. The purple dragon now had his face down as he flew, and even Spyro was shooting glares to the dragonfly.

Malefor looked at the sun, that was now setting "We travelled a good afar for today!" he said in a rather sad voice. "We should stop to eat and rest."

The others looked at him. It was truth, they had flight for almost a whole day since they leaved Warfang. The sun was now setting, casting an orange colored glow over them, and in this moment their bellies growled quite loud. Cynder and Spyro shared a look, and Spyro said "Okay. Lets land."

And they started descending towards the ground in circles, not knowing that a set of eyes were glaring back at them from above, from where they could not see it.

They where just above a forest in their path, and they went to in between the trees, landing beneath them.

It was a beautiful forest. There were high trees everywhere, with a long carpet of grass covering everything around the ground, with occasional flowers next to the trees' bases. And the rays of sunset perked through the leaves in the branches, casting partial shadows over our heroes.

Malefor took over the place and looked around "Yeah." he said "This seems a good place to rest."

"And you're an expert in survival or what?" mocked Sparx. Cynder gave him another glare, Malefor only turned to him "This place is with shadow and covering, and there seems to have nothing that could attack us at night, and the grass is good for us to rest. And I got good grades on the lessons of survival in wild areas when I was in training with the guardians, thanks."

Sparx did not expect an answer, and was left dumbfold. Cynder giggled, and looked at Malefor, who winked back at her, even Spyro was now chuckling. none of them noticed the silently rustling of the leaves above them, easily mistaken by the wind, and the set of red eyes, of something in the branches, now staring at them, watching their every move.

* * *

Soon Spyro and Cynder were in front of a fire, kindled by Malefor with some dry wood. They were now wating for him to come back, he said he was going out to have some food.

"At least is what he said." said Sparx with a mistrusting tone, granting Cynder trying to hit him with her tail "Could you stop being a jerk for at least one minute?" asked a annoyed Cynder.

"What? Is just hard to me to trust someone that two days ago was trying to destroy the world." Sparx said inhis defense "And for all we know the bitter old cat could be right." Cynder and Spyro knew he was talking about Meadow "He could still be the bad guy. He could right now be waiting for we to be distracted to jump on us and bit off our necks."

"Or maybe." said a voice a bit mufled "He could be back from food shearcing."

The group eyes turned to the voice, and then saw Malefor, carrying a great slab of meat in his mouth, and in his back could be seem that was full of something.

He came closer and let go of the meat, letting it close to the fire, and he emptied his bag, that revealed to have fruits inside of it.

"Wow. You really are good to find food in the wild." said Cynder admired. Malefor couldn't help but blush at her compliment "Yeah, thanks." He said as he blushed and Cynder smiled at him. Spyro noticed this, and suddenly he felt a bit awkward between them.

* * *

Malefor was now breathing fire over the meat to cook it, and put the fruits aside. Soon the three dragons were eating the roasted meat while Sparx served himself of butterflies.

"You're right, Malefor." said Cynder after swallowing a chuck of the still smoking meat "It really gets better when cooked." Malefor smiled at her "Thanks." He said "I learned it from my mother. She said it made the meat better, and also prevented from getting sick." Cynder smiled at him "She was right."

Malefor blushed a few and smiled back at her. Spyro remained silently as he ate, and looked over to how Malefor and Cynder were interacting.

* * *

The had finished eating, and Malefor thrown earth over the fire to turn it off. Soon they all leaved good night as they slept. NBot knowing that a set of red glowing eyes were watching them.

Spyro and Cynder were having dreamless sleep, and were very calm at their slumber, while Sparx was over a place, in a bed made of rests of spider webs, snoring slightly, having a peaceful slumber. Malefor, on the other paw, was not quiet or calm. He did not stopped moving from one side to another, his expressions were heavy "No." he muttered in his sleep "No."

* * *

_Malefor was surrounded by dragons of several different colors, all glaring angrily at him._

_"What a boldness." said a white dragon, coming to our villages asking for our help after all he done."_

_"Such a cynic!" said a green coloured dragon "Thinking we would welcome him after all he did to us."_

_"Its all a trick!" said one orange coloured dragon "He just wants to make us drop our guard so he can stab us in the back!"_

_"NO!" said Malefor "Please, believe me!" he said desperate at the dragons around him "I mean no harm. I came only to help you." as a answer the dragons snorted, some actually giving fake laughs._

_"It is true!" said Malefor "My friends can say it for you!"_

_"You mean the black serpent and the other purple freak?" asked another dragon "Well, we can see what they have to say."_

_As he said those words, the dragons opened way for Malefor to see what was in between them. And he gasped as he did._

_There were Cynder and Spyro, both seemed badly beaten, bruised and bleeding through several wound in their bodies. They're held by thick and heavy chains that made then down, they seemed to be on the verge of consciousness and in deep pain._

_"Spyro! Cynder!" he screamed at seeing his two friends "What you did to them?!"_

_"Just a proper welcome of our villages."_

_"You can't do that!" Malefor said with a few tears crappling down his eyes "They're innocent, they did notthing wrong-"_

_"Nothing wrong?! Hah!" said another dragon "They're the black serpente herself and another purple monster like you. Anyway, if they came here with you they just can't be better." He said approaching them. He looked over to Malefor and said with a cold tone "This is what the ones that travel with you deserve!" He turned back to Spyro and Cynder, and Breathed his element over them, enveloping their forms._

_Malefor eyes widened as his two friends screamed in pain "NOOOO!"_

* * *

Malefor woke up in a startle, gasping for air as he frantically looked around. He calmed down as he saw Spyro laying next to him, still seemingly asleep. He was panting and taking big gulps of air to catch his breath again. There was still a few tears trickling down his cheeks.

"Malefor?"

The purple dragon turned around meet Cynder's worried face. "It's okay." he said before she could ask anything "It was just a bad dream."

"It doesn't seem it was just a bad dream." she said looking over at him. He was sweaty and was crying. "You were moving a lot and you almost screamed before waking up. I'm surprised Spyro did not wake up." she said looking at the other dragon.

"And Sparx?" asked Malefor, Cynder rooled her eyes "He can sleep even if a meteor crash right on his side." she looked over to the dragon "Sorry for waking you up." said Malefor "I'll go back to sleep." He hoped she would drop the matter. But she did not.

She instead laid right by his side "Malefor." she said "What is wrong?"

Malefor looked over to her, and then looked away, and sighed deeply, staring at the nothing in front of him "What if Sparx is right?" he asked with a hint of fear "What if they do not trust us if they see me? What if they think that you are monsters too just because you're with me?"

Silence remained for a few moments, and Cynder said "It is a risky." Malefor remained silence, and then she spoke "But there is the same risky if they see me. For many of them I may not be better than you."

Malefor looked surprised at her, who was smiling back at him "It is a risky we must take." she assured him "Don't worry." She smiled at him "Everything is going to be alright" She put her wing around him, like a blanket. He smiled back at her, and then they both laid their heads and quickly drift off to sleep.

As they fell sleep, Spyro raised his head and looked over his shoulder, to see them both sleeping close together.

He had waken up with Malefor's moving, but decided to stay quiet and let him sleep. He overheard some of the talking of them, and now was looking as they slept together. And he felt a sudden urge to break them apart.

He curled into a ball, suddenly feeling that maybe Malefor wasn't so trustworthy at all...

* * *

* * *

The next day, they waked up with the first sun rays that shined through the leaves and branches. Sparx, of course, was having trouble waking up.

"Just five more minutes momma." he said as Cynder nudged him to wake up. And soon after she made him fall from the web, quickly waking him up with a "Ah! I'm wake! I'm wake!"

Soon after they all took flight and started once again heading to the mountains of Maltar. They flew right by side. With Malefor right to the side of Cinder, and Spyro just couldn't help but feel a like uncomfortable with their closeness.

"How long to the mountains?" asked Spyro, wanting to (he would not admit it even to himself) using a subject to make Malefor and Cynder stop talking with each other.

Malefor grabbed the map in his bag and gave it a look. "By what I can see-" he said "If we are here, then a few more hours of flight."

"Guess we have to handle Sparx mouth for a while more than." said Cynder, making Malefor chuckle as Sparx said "Hey!"

And so the travel continued, four a few more hours as the sun moved in the sky. The young dragons focused in the way ahead, and Sparx having time to make some remarks about the wheater, or to complain about the heat or the time they were taking, or to ask if it was still too far.

"I swear that if you open your mouth again!" said Cynder, tired of Sparx complaining

"What?" the dragonfly said "I'm bored, hot and tired. And I don't think you are too diferente from me right now."

"We are here." said Malefor "The Mountains of Maltar." Ahead of them where a great montain-chain, that seemed high and very closed together. It was the place they were suppose to be. The place had some trees in the mountains, with a bit of snow near the tops. It had kind of a titanic and supernatural air.

"Seems inviting." said Sparx. Spyro just rolled his eyes and said "Lets go. We have to search for a village." And so they changed their fly course the inside the mountain-chain.

* * *

"Okay, that is official: we are flying in circles!" whined Sparx "We already passed by the tree! And by that rock formation! By that waterfall! And I'm almost sure is the third time we see that mountain!"

Normally one of the dragons would have answered with na annoyed tone, but sadly, they all agreed with the yellow bug. They had went inside the mountain-chain over two hours ago. The mountains where so alike and so close to each other that they have made many turns and changed directions so many times that they now were almost sure they were lost.

"We have to keep searching." said Spyro "We will find it somewhere. We can't be lost in here forever.". It was when Malefor looked to the side "Well..."

The eyes turned to him "What?" asked Cynder when he remained silence. The purple dragon sighed and said "The name Mountains of Maltar is kind of new. The original name in my time was Mountains of the Lost Souls."

The others stared at him, and he continued "Legends tell of many dragons that tried to fly over this place and remained lost in here. Flying in circles and never being able to find the exit. They spend the rest of their lives trapped in this place."

Spyro and Cynder shared a look, and Sparx stared at Malefor "So..." he said slowly "Are you telling that we may remain trapped forever in this place, and never find the way out again AND YOU WAITED UNTIL NOW TO TELL THIS DETAIL!?" he screamed the last part, a scream that echoed through the mountains.

"It was just a legend." Malefor said in his defence "Of course if someone gets lost in here can easily find the way flying up. We are only lost because we have to be at the level of the mountains to find the village that is here, otherwise we could-" he suddenly stopped, and straightened his head. Stopping and roving in mid-air.

The others noticed this uncommon acting and stopped in mid-air with him. Sparx seemed annoyed "What it is now? You don't want us to remake all our..." Sparx started, bu was cut out with a "Ssh!" from Malefor. THis of course annoyed even more the dragonfly "He made ssh for me!", and was granted with low "Quiet!" from the purple dragon.

"Malefor, what are you..?" started Cynder, but then Malefor said "Are you hearing it?"

"Hear what?" asked Spyro and SParx at the same time. Spyro out of curiosity, and Sparx in an annoyed tone. Malefor's head then turned to another said as he said "This!". The others remained quiet, and so they could soon hear it too. Wings. Wings flapping, like the wings of something bigger than them.

"What is this?" asked Cynder, looking aroudn to try to find the exact source of the flapping sound. Malefor looked around as he said "Something big. Somewhere in here."

Tha dragons formed a circle, and Sparx hide behind Spyro's horn "Is it one of the shadow dudes?" he asked in fear. They listened a]carefully. The flapping sound seemed to be going around them, like they were being stalk. The echo in the mountain prevented them from pinpointing exactly the place of the flapping and how many wings it actually was.

"It is coming closer!" said Spyro as the flapping grew stronger, and they all looked around, ready for any attack. Then suddenly, the flapping stopped, leaving only the sound of the wind in the walls of the mountains.

"Well." said Cynder "Whatever it was, seems that went away." And Sparx came out of his hiding "Well sure!" he boasted "Probably it knew that was no match to-" suddenly he was cut out with a strong gust of wind blew over them, pushing them against a mountain and slamming in it. Sparx would have felt if Spyro had not held him, he and the other two dragons quickly recovered from this.

"What was that!?" asked a still stunned Spyro, and Malefor started "It seemed-" but before he could answer two shadows hoved over them, and a tornado came over them. They were blown away in direction to the ground.

They were spinning fast inside the cone of wind, becoming deep disoriented. Sparx was holding in his adoptive brother's horn for his dear life. The hurricane stopped when they were near the ground, and they were still with orientation enough to hove and land harshly, rolling in the ground and with slightly dizziness.

"Why the world is spinning?" asked a dizzy Sparx, soon before he dropped from Spyro's head, and laid flat on the ground. The dragon's where trying to recover, just when about two great shadows landed over them, blocking the sun. They raised their heads, trying to make a figure of them, but th dizziness and the sun behind them difficult the recognizance. The figures only stepped closer of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	6. The Hidden Village of the Mountains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spyro, Cynder, Malefor and Sparx all have a meeting with two dragons, an elderly female, and a younger male, both of them wind dragons.  
> After this meeting, they are guided by them in direction to the hidden village, and upon arriving, they now are made to wait as the village has to have a important discussion about the fate of the young dragons...

They were dragons!

There was absolutely no way of mistaking that shape, the shape of draconic body. These creatures in front of them were dragons, and that was for sure.

There were two of them. One was clearly a female, as it was no doubt due to the slenderness and the beauty of the body. She has light-grey scales in all of her body, and a pure-white color for her underbelly, as well as for her horns, which were long and slender and curved backwards in her head. She had a very slender figure, and the tailblade that she had was shaped just like a lance. Her eyes were blue in color, just like the purest blue of the sky. Though she had a slender and feminine figure, she also had some kind of presence, as it was possible to note by the look in her eyes, which denoted some kind of power that the young dragons could feel as they looked deep into them.

The other figure was also a dragon, as it was easy for anyone to notice. This one, however, was clearly a male, and he was indeed an imposing figure. Though he was slightly smaller than the female, he had a toned body, which indicated that he had a good physical strength that also that he probably had a very good physical training. The scales of his body were all of a dark-grey color, and he had three horns in his head, one projecting straight and slightly curve from his forehead, and other two projecting from the sides of his head, curving backwards just like the horns of a ram. His eyes called a lot of attention, due to the yellow color to them, and the slit pupils, which looked very much like the eyes of Malefor while he was still corrupted, with only a hint of being slightly scarier. Not only that, but the dragon also had a sharp-looking set of claws in his paws, which looked to be made just for battle, and his tailblade was shaped in the perfect shape of a trident. He didn't seemed to be as imposing as the dragoness was, but he seemed to be somewhat scary and that he would be just as fierce in battle as her.

There was a long moment of silence, as the three young dragons and their dragonfly friend, who was hiding behind Spyro's horn, locked eyes with the two adult and seemingly much more powerful dragons, who looked down at them. The male looked at them with some surprised in his yellow eyes, the dragoness, whoever, looked at them with a hint of anger and of mistrust, specially because she was looking straight at Cynder and Malefor.

After a moments of silence, the dark-grey dragon spoke, with a voice that was surprisingly nice to hear, despite his scary appearance. "I'm I crazy, or am I seeing two purple dragons?"

The dragoness stepped forward, "One of them is Spyro, the dragon we were told about in the prophecy." She had a voice that denoted her age, and she stepped forward, almost as if she was expecting an attack at any moment. "The other dragon with him is no other than the Dark Master himself." She spoke with a tone of deep hatred in her voice, that made Malefor flinch and recoil slightly, and her eyes were also in Cynder.

"And that one is Cynder, the Terror of the Skies." She finished, still with that tone of anger. Now it was Cynder's turn of recoil slightly form the older dragoness' words. The dark-grey dragon looked at the female with surprise, and at the three young dragons, taking particularly long glances at the two who were said to be the Dark Master and the Terror of the Skies.

"Are you sure?" He asked to her s he looked at them. "I mean, not that I'm questioning you, but I already saw the Terror of the Skies before, and she looked to be quite a big adult to me. And if I'm not mistaken, the Dark Master isn't around a thousand years old?" He looked again at the two dragons, who could not be older than teenagers. "These ones are only hatchlings."

Despite feeling intimidated by these two strange dragons, both Malefor and Cynder could not avoid feeling slightly insulted for being called "just hatchlings", however, Spyro was the first one to step forward, and he said, "Humm, hello?"

The two older dragons looked at him, and Spyro felt slightly intimidated, both by the presence of the dragoness as for the appearance and seeming physical power held by the dragon, but he was able to find his voice. "We… We were sent here by Terrador."

The dragoness looked at him, raising an eyebrow, while the dragon looked a bit surprised. "Terrador?  _The_  Earth Guardian, Terrador? The guy who they say that can lift mountains?" Yeah, it seemed that the earth dragon had some kind of fame, as it was easy to notice by the way that the dark-grey dragon was asking, and Spyro nodded.

"Yes, he sent us here to gather the dragons from the secret villages." Spyro spoke to them, and the loight-grey dragoness cast another look at the two dragons who were coming along with Spyro, and she narrowed her eyes.

"First of all, Terrador himself doesn't know the exact location of our Village." She said as she approached them, almost in threatening manner. "Second, I don't think he would send our sworn enemies to us."

Malefor and Cynder flinched, and Cynder stepped forward and she spoke, "We are not your enemies!"

The older dragoness narrowed her eyes to her, and Cynder could feel all the power that there was behind them. However, she already passed by a lot in the previous years, and she was not about to let herself be intimidated right away. Malefor was right by her side, and he too was not willing to go down in the first obstacle that came in their way.

"Please, just hear us out, okay?" The former Dark Master said, and his answer was an angry hiss from the dragoness, that was enough to make him recoil, and Spyro took forward, coming to aid.

"We have a letter from Terrador." Spyro said, reaching for the purse and showing a folded scroll that they had brought. It had been a gift from Terrador, in case the things got difficult with the dragons in the secret villages. Well, that was about to prove its usefulness.

The grey dragoness looked at it, keeping herself at distance, but she seemed to be still able to see clearly, and she looked at the three dragons that had come, and she said. "Put it in the ground."

Spyro obeyed, and he placed the piece of scroll in the ground, and he stepped behind, making sure to show that he didn't was any threat. The dragoness kept her eyes on him all the time, and she stepped forward, and she started to spin her tail. As she did, the young dragons could notice that it was like she was cumulating air in it, and after a while, she made a movement with her tail and sent the air she cumulated forward.

The young dragons watched as the air she had cumulated was still spinning, and it had turned into what seemed to be a miniature tornado! The small tower of spiraling air moved across the ground, raising dust and small pebbles as it moved in direction to the young dragons.

They all took one step behind, as the small hurricane came in direction to the folded scroll, and then, it stood right over it. Immediately, the scroll was raised from the ground, and now it was floating on top of the small hurricane, which stayed in place for a few moments, before starting to move back, returning to the two older and bigger dragons at a distance away from the young dragons.

"Wow… that is scary." Sparx said as he watched amazed from behind Spyro's horn, and Spyro and Cynder both looked amazed at the feat that the grey dragoness had done.

"How does she does it?" Spyro asked in amazement, looking as the hurricane carried their message in direction to the two dragons.

"She is a wind dragoness." Malefor said, answering to the other purple dragon's question, "What she is done is manipulating the wind, expert dragons that control the wind can do that."

Of course that Malefor knew about it, after all, he had himself seen this kind of ability in the distant past, when he was still a young dragon and had first started to have his lessons with the past Guardians. However, Spyro and Cynder had never personally met with a wind dragon, so that was entirely new to them. Even Cynder, who had natural abilities to control the wind, was surprised for seeing such a way of controlling the wind with precision and at a distance, for even her had not this kind of ability in her.

They watched as the hurricane floated the scroll in direction to the bigger dragons, and as soon as it was close enough, the dragoness reached with her paw and picked up the scroll, and the hurricane immediately unformed, letting all the dust and debris it had caught along the way simply drop in the ground, just like a leaf as soon as the wind stops. She kept her eyes at the young dragons, and she said to the dragon by her side.

"If they try anything, attack."

The dragon looked at her, and he slowly nodded. However, he was still unsure if he would like to attack children. Still, he was going to do what she wanted and he was going to keep an open eye. After all, you never truly know.

The dragoness broke the seal of the scroll and she unfolded it, letting it hang open from her claws as she started to read it.

She spent a while reading it, as all the dragons stood in attention. The grey dragon was looking intently at the young dragons who had come, who in turn, were looking attentively at the two older dragons, and in particular to the dragoness, who seemed to be the one that could most likely decide their fate and the success or failure of their mission.

She spent a while reading the letter, and as she read it, she both narrowed and widened her eyes, as she was taking in every single word that was written in there, with the unmistakable writing of the earth guardian.

She was done after three minutes, and she had a very serious look in her face as she put it down and looked at the three dragons. Then, she started to walk in their direction with firm steps, slowly closing the distance between herself and them.

The young dragons felt intimidated, and they all stood in place as the dragoness, who was older and clearly much stronger than them, was coming in their way now. They knew that there was probably the possibility of them needing to fight, and they were ready for it. Still, they were all hesitant, for they knew that if they made the first contact with violence and a fight, this would surely ruin their mission for good, and end it even before it have even begun. That was why they were so nervous as they saw the wind dragoness coming their way.

She walked in their way slowly, until she was close enough that she would be able to lower her head and look at them deadly in the eyes.

Up close it was easier to see the clear sighs of age in her face, still, they could see even closely the fierceness in her eyes, just like the winds of a powerful storm. That was more than enough to make them nervous, as they could see the experience of several years of battles and many more of training in the eyes of that dragoness.

They knew that if she decided to attack them there were great chances that she was goin got win, even if they fought with all they had (what they didn't wanted at all) they knew that she was able to keep up with them and probably gain the upper hand with smart tricks. That dragoness was not the kind you messed with, and it was possible to see it just by looking in her eyes, and that scared deeply the young dragons, and the dragonfly, whom was still hiding behind Spyro's horn.

After a few moments, the dragoness said, in a low and careful voice. "Is this a trick of yours?" There was a great ferocity in her eyes, even if her voice was actually calm, and after a few moments, Spyro walked forward, and was actually able to look in her eyes with the same ferocity, and he said, "No."

They both kept the staring contest for almost one minute, while all the other dragons around only looked at them, wondering which one of them was going to make the first move. After this, the dragoness raised her head, and she looked at her companion, and said to him, "They are not lying. At least this one is not."

This made relief was over the young dragons, and the other grey dragon looked at her, and he asked, "How do you know that?"

She looked at him, and said simply, "His eyes don't lie." And she walked back at him, and she said, "Alright, if what the letter says is true, then we have a grave problem in our paws." She looked behind herself, at the young dragons who were there, and she said, "We are going to scout you to our village."

The young dragons were actually able to smile at this, but she quickly added, "If in any moment I have the slightest feeling that you are going to betray us, I'm going to end your lives myself, do you get it?"

The young dragons cornered slightly, and they nodded their heads, letting it clear that they had understood. This seemed to be enough for the old dragoness, who simply said, "Good. Now lets go, and stay close to us, unless you want to be lost in this mountains forever."

Soon as that was said, she turned to her companion, and whispered something to him, which the young dragons didn't heard, but it seemed that she was giving him some kind of advice or order, for the grey dragon nodded at her, and soon, they both were taking up to the sky, and the young dragons followed suit, now going and flying near them.

The two adults flew at a distance ahead, close enough for the young dragons to be able to follow them, but distant enough so it was safe for both parties. It was clear that what Terrador had said was true, and the dragons who protected the villages were still ready to fight. They still didn't knew who was that grey dragoness, and neither who was her companion, but they had already noticed that at least the dragoness seemed to be one able to handle herself in wars. Maybe she had even took part in some of them, and it seemed that she was still ready to fight to the death if the danger arrived.

The other dragon didn't looked less intimidating. He might lack the experience and the power that the dragoness leaked from her, but he showed to have a scary figure, and he passed the impression of being a strong foe, and not the kind that most people would like to face all alone. For what they knew, he could be, on his own way, just as powerful and dangerous as that grey dragoness, so the young dragons knew that they had to also be careful around him, for he too could probably be ready to end them if there was any slight suspect that they were a threat.

"Well, that could have been better." Sparx said in a whisper at the dragons near him, begin careful for the more distant dragons not to hear him.

"Yeah, but it also could have been worse." Cynder reasoned, and she said, "At least we were able to get to this meeting without ending up in a fight."

"And thanks to Spyro." Malefor finally said, and seemed rather down, "At least one purple dragon in here is good in dealing with people."

The other young dragons looked at him as he said that, and they noticed that he was looking down, and Cynder approached him. "Malefor."

The purple dragon sighed, and he said, "I still think I should not have come. This almost ended bad because of me." He looked up, and he said, "Maybe I should fly back to Warfang and let you take care of that, after all,  _you_  are the great heroes. I would only get in your way and make your mission more difficult."

Cynder looked at him as he had his head hung low, and she said, "Hey, Malefor." And the purple dragon looked at her, and she continued, "It was not your fault, you were being controlled by Balthazar." She said to, and he looked in her eyes as she spoke, "Just like I was being controlled years ago. I wasn't responsible for my own actions, and neither was you, yet, people still see me as the 'terror of the skies', and they act like that. If I followed your way of thinking, then maybe I should fly with you to Warfang and leave Spyro to take care of everything."

Spyro perked his head at them as he heard it, and Malefor only looked at Cynder. "I know that it is hard, but we have to get through. This is a new chance, for me, for you, for  _us_."

Spyro perked his head even more as he listened to that, and Cynder continued to talk to Malefor, "This can be our chance of getting redemption, of proving to the world that we are not the monsters they came to know."

Malefor looked at the black dragoness, who seemed to really be sure of what she was saying, and then, she did something they neither of the purple dragons expected, she reached with her paw, and held Malefor's own, making his eyes widen. She only looked at him with a kind smile, and he said, "We will get through this together, and it will be alright. I promise."

Malefor looked at her, and he blushed at this. Of course, he was chronologically more than a thousand years old, but in his body and mind he was still a teenager, and having someone, especially a female, holding paws with him, was somewhat awkward to him, especially if she gave him comforting words.

Still, Malefor felt like her words had taken a great burden of his heart, at least part of it, and he was actually able to smile at her again. He didn't knew what words to say to her in return, and so, he said nothing, he only nodded at her, and he had a smile on his face, and she smiled and nodded back, and they both seemed to become happier.

Neither of them looked at Spyro, and so, neither of them saw the slightly frown that the other purple dragon had on his face as he saw these two holding paws…

* * *

Ahead of them, the two dragons led the way, and they made a lot of curves and detours into their way, as they were guiding the three younger dragons and their dragonfly friend into the way that, supposedly, would lead them to the village. Of course, it was taking a while, and it almost felt like the young dragons were all following the older ones as they flew in circles.

"Guys, I'm starting to think that these guys don't know where they are going." Sparx said in a whisper for the young dragons, and, as amazing as it sounded, the young dragons thought that maybe the dragonfly was right. It took a while for them, and they didn't thought that they were going to actually take this long to arrive in the village, in wherever place of that mountains it was. Maybe the dragons had gotten lost, but it would not make sense.

What would be the point of living in these mountains and having a village in there if you were not going to be able to find the way if you got lost in there? Of course the village was secret, but it only would made sense that the ones who lived and protected the place would have to be able to find its location so they could come back, right?

The time was passing, and the dragons were starting to get their wings tired as they followed the older dragons in an endless travel across the mountain, and Sparx, by now, was pretty sure that they had all gotten lost, and they were going to be in there until there was only their bones left, just like the former Dark Master had said it would happen.

After a while, the dragon who were in front, made a quickly descending move, diving bellow, and the young dragons, surprised by this, decided to dive after them, and they soon dove right after them, and after a while of a freefall, the older dragons resumed their normal flight, but now, as a lower level, away from the tops of the mountains, and covered by the shadows of the mountains around them.

The young dragons shared looks among themselves, as they continued to follow, and soon, the older dragons started to take more detours and more curves, but this time, they were leading the young dragons for a way that they were completely sure that they had not gone yet. They saw a lot of features that they had not seem before, like some specific rock formations, and also some plant growing into the rock and into the sides of the mountains, like small trees and moss and flowers. That path was new to them, and all of the young dragons were happy for it.

After a while, they started to descent again, with the adults leading the way into the slowly descent as the young dragons followed. They were approaching the ground, and it seemed that they were going to land. The young dragons actually were thankful for this, for their wings were getting tired of flying so much, and they were thankful for they were going to land in the ground and rest their wings.

The older dragons were the first ones to touch the ground, and the other younger dragons landed at a certain distance from them, all of them letting tired sighs.

"Man, I don't remember ever flying so much before." Malefor said, as he stretched his wings and flexed them many times, as if to prevent them from straining from the effort he had made. Spyro and Cynder both agreed with him, for they had already to fly very much before, but never for so long and in such a tiring way like making so much curves and detours. Even Sparx, who was used to flap his wings a lot, being a dragonfly, was actually seeming to be tired from being so long in the air.

"Man, I think my wings will fall off!" He said as he dropped in Spyro's back, seeming tired, and he was panting slightly. The older dragons, however, didn't seemed to be so tired, and the male, actually looked at them, and he said to his companion. "Are you sure that these two are the Dark Master and Terror of the Skies?" He was whispering to her, so the younger dragons would not hear him, "I'm pretty sure that dragons with such fame would have more stamina than that."

She looked at him, and she said, "Don't drop your guard." And that was all that she said to him, as she turned around and started to approach the younger dragons, who were still resting their tired wings.

"Form this point we walk, and there is still a while of ground ahead of us." She said to them as they looked up at her, and they all nodded. Sparx, however, didn't agreed all too fast, and he soon said, "Are you sure we are in the right place? Because back there I had the feeling that we were walking in circles!"

"Because we were!" Said the male grey dragon from where he stood, surprising the dragons and dragonfly, not only because he said that, but because he also showed that he could listen well what they were saying form that distance, showing that he had a good hearing. This lead the young dragons to wonder just how much he had actually heard from their talk earlier.

The grey dragoness, however, only gave him a hard glare, which was enough to make him cower and almost seemed to be about to hide his own face with his wings, and she sighed, as she looked at the young dragons and their dragonfly companion, and she said, "Lets get going."

And that was all she said before starting to walk ahead, and the young dragons soon followed her and the other dragon, and soon they were walking among the shadow of the mountains. Sparx was still in Spyro's back, and he whispered to the dragons around him. "I knew that we were going in circles! I bet they had gotten lost and that they don't even know where we are!"

"We do!" Said the grey male at him, turning his head to look at the dragonfly, and startling the young dragons, for he showed once again that his hearing was acute, and that he could hear very well what they were talking in there. Of course, he didn't said much more, for a quick glance from the dragoness by his side was enough o silence him and make him walk without saying anything else.

"Okay, so if they weren't lost, then why would they make us fly in circles?" Sparx whispered to the others, ignoring the fact that they knew that the dragon could, most likely, hear him even if he whispered, and this led the young dragons to wonder the same thing. Why would they make the young dragons fly in circles on purpose? It was to make sure that they would not know the way? It was to protect the location of the village by keeping the precise path to it a complete secret, which they would not find without their help?

Well, it was the only thing that seemed to fit, because the only other option would be doing it to lose someone who was following them, and they wanted to take the young dragons to the village, so they would not want to lose someone who was in their tracks, right?

* * *

" ** _What do you mean by 'you lost them'!?_** " Balthazar roared as he was communicating with the minion that he had sent to follow the young dragons.

The black creature with wings on its back was communicating with him by a crystal, and the figure looked at him as it spoke. " ** _I was following them, but they met another dragons on their way._** "

Balthazar perked his head as he heard that. " ** _What kind of dragons?_** " He said in a low and angry whisper.

" ** _Wind dragons_**." The figure said at him as it looked at him, " ** _We continued to follow them as it seemed that they would be leading them to the village. However, they started to move in circles, and to make tunrs and curves. It was hard to follow them, even more as they started to speed up._** " The figure explained. " ** _It was like they knew I was following them, and were trying to lose ume._** "

" ** _Is because they KNEW they were being followed, you useless shadow!_** " Balthazar nearly roared in anger. He knew enough about wind dragons to know that their connection with the wind element gave them a wide range of special abilities which included the ability to hear at great distances by the sounds that the wind carried. Not only that, they were also able to, if they were enough experienced in the control of their element, feel anything around them using the air currents, and they could discover hidden enemies only by their breathing. Of course, that stupid creature couldn't breathe, but still, it had a body that could disrupt wind currents, and it was more than enough for a wind dragon to be able to track it and know that it was there.

Balthazar thought that most wind dragons had died, along with the other kinds of dragons, but it seemed that he once again was proved wrong. The presence of a variety of dragons that he had long considered extinct was again a source of worry for him, for it proved that other varieties of dragons could still be alive. Including…

" ** _You imbecile! How could you lose them so easily!?"_**  Balthazar demanded form his minion, and the creature only bowed at his image, and said.

" ** _It won't happen again, Master._** " It said, and Balthazar looked at it. " ** _I know it won't, you incompetent shadow."_**  With that said, Balthazar cut the communication, and immediately, he whispered a few words that made the crystal that was showing the image of his minion to start glowing.

* * *

The figure just had the communication cut short as it looked at the crystal, which moments later started to glow in a sickish purple color and vibrate. The figure only inclined its head sideward as it looked at the crystal, and it barely had time to think about it or to actually think about it, when…

_BOOOOM_

The crystal exploded, into a big boom that completely obliterated the creature, and that echoed through the near places, including the near set of mountains.

* * *

Malefor stopped and perked his head, as he thought he had heard something. "Did you heard that?" The purple dragon asked at the others, who looked at him.

"Heard what?" Said Sparx, who was still resting into Spyro's back as the young dragons were following the older ones. Malefor looked behind himself as he was searching for what could have made the sound that he just heard, but there was nothing in his sight, and he only kept looking there, until the dragons in front said.

"Hey, we need to get going!" It was the male, and the young dragons looked at him, and they continued to go. Malefor stayed behind a little, and he kept looking behind as he said to himself, "It seemed an explosion."

"Malefor, let's go." Cynder called him, and after a few moments, the purple dragon finally let it go and started to follow his companions as they followed the bigger dragons.

They passed by a long set of hallways in the bases of the mountains and by some caves that connected the ways. All along, the older dragons kept a certain distance, but not very much, form the younger ones, and it seemed that the way they were in was a long one, and that it was made to prevent it from being found from above. Things seemed different from the ground than they were up in the air.

After a while of walking, the older dragons lead them to a corner covered by the stony edges of two mountains almost touching one another, and it seemed that their next path would be right across the corner. Before they passed by it, though, the older dragoness turned to them, and she walked in their direction, looking at them straight in the eyes as she spoke.

"The place you are about to go in, is a sanctuary created to keep the dragons safe during the war, and to make sure that the forces that attacked us would not endanger the future of our species." Her tone was serious, and it was very clear by her expression that every word that she was saying could be anything but a joke.

"We have devoted our lives in protecting this place and making sure that every being who lives in there was safe from any threats from the outside, being it from the darkness that was consuming the world, from the ones who served it, or the ones who were in control of it." She looked right at Cynder and Malefor as she spoke so, and this made very clear that she was referring to them, and the two younger dragons flinched a little, as they saw that this dragoness really did not trusted completely in them, even with the letter that Terrador had sent talking in their favor.

"You two are being allowed to enter there and know the place, however, be warned, if in any moment your mere presence in here brings danger to our village or to the ones who live in it, I'll  _not_ hesitate in doing what is necessary to ensure our safety." The way she talked, it was far from being a threat, it was only like she was making one fact perfectly clear, as if a good explanation. Still, the way she said it let it clear that she meant that, if they somehow put the place in danger by any way, she was going to attack them.

Yeah, the dragons were ready to fight and to protect themselves and the villages, just like Terrador had said to them. The young dragons knew that, if most dragons were like that in the villages, the mission was probably going to be much more difficult than they had initially expected.

"Did I make myself clear enough?" The older dragoness said, and she looked at them, expecting for an answer, and the young dragons all shared a look among themselves, and they all nodded as they looked at her, and so did Sparx, who was still in Spyro's back. "Yeah, sure."

This seemed to be enough for the dragoness, who nodded back, and she resumed her walk, and this time, the younger dragons were allowed to follow her closely, and they were near her and the older dragon, who actually smiled down at them, and he said, "Welcome…" They turned the corner to see what was on the other side.

"To the Secret Howling Breeze Village."

What the young dragons saw made their jaws drop.

Village would be a pet name for a place like that. It was actually bigger than a village, and it didn't come to be a city, but still, was rather impressive. The place consisted into a lot of houses of stone and wood that had been built into a series of plateaus. Some of the houses were into the level of the ground, hidden beneath the shadow of the mountains that surrounded it, but others were place in the plateaus, which raises form the ground and into the mountain as if they were a series of stairs.

The houses in there were simple, but they were big and well built, the kind of thing that could last for a few decades without problems, what made sense for a place that you would need to stay in for a while when you were hiding from someone. And there were dragons in there.

They were many, actually, they were hundreds, maybe a little more. They were big, small, thing, bulky, male, female, all kinds. Most of them were grey colored, just like the two dragons who had brought them there, but there were some of other colors too, like the colors that Spyro and Cynder already knew, like yellow, green, light-blue and red. They also noticed some colors that they had not seen before into dragons, like some dragons that were black in color, just like Cynder, and also some dragons that were of a deeper shade of blue, too dark to be ice dragons like Cyril. The fact was that the place seemed to be exactly what it was said to them that it was: a safe haven for the dragons to hide and keep themselves safe as the war went on, and so the species would have a chance of surviving.

The young dragons all had a mix of several different emotions. In part, they felt amazed that a place like that was able to keep hidden during the war, with the armies of darkness sweeping across the lands. In part, they felt marveled that a place like that existed, and that there was still being so much dragons around like that, this, of course, brought a new feeling to Malefor and Cynder, who had considered earlier themselves the responsible for the near extinction of the dragon kind: a feeling of hope and of relief, for they knew that they were not the ones to be blamed for the vanishing of their own species. For, if in that single place there was so much dragons, all together, imagine in the others!

This brought a new feeling of hope in their hearts, which they both shared as they were even able to smile.

"Very few had ever discovered the existence of that place." Said the wind dragoness, who moved behind them, and she looked down at them as they all looked up at her. "You should consider yourselves honored from being able to see this place by yourselves, and I  _really_  hope that you do not take this honor lightly."

That tone was in her voice again, a tone of someone that was not going to drop her guard. This once again rekindled in all young dragons the feeling that she still not trusted them completely. Many would mistake it for paranoid, but they all knew that she was only being careful. She probably had lived enough horrors into the war to know that dropping her guard, even for one second, could mean a horrible end, and she was not going to simply drop it at all only because of a letter. This kind of acting was to be expected.

She looked at them, and she said, "We will scout you into the village now." She was serious as she spoke that, and she looked at the village. "Try not to call very much attention for yourselves."

The young dragons all shared a look, and they knew what she was meaning. They all nodded at her, signaling they understood, and she nodded back and soon she was in one side of them, while the male dragon was on the other. "Ready, little ones?" The male asked, and the dragons all shared a looked, and they nodded at him.

And soon, the young dragons were all being led inside the secret village, and they walked into a new territory.

In the first few minutes there was nothing big about them being in there, but soon, they started to attract stares from people, and soon, there was almost a crowd looking at them with several different expressions.

Some were amazed, some were with fear, some had expression of apprehension and even hate. These last ones were especially directed to Malefor and Cynder, who both cornered as people looked at them, pointed and muttered a thing or other among themselves.

As they walked, they saw that there was more than just dragons in this village. There were other creatures too, some of them familiar, like moles and goats, which Spyro and Cynder already saw in their travels. However, there was some species of creatures that neither of the young dragons had ever saw before. There were a few griffins in there, and also centaurs and fauns. They also caught sight of some bipedal creatures, like the cheetahs, but which species they failed to recognize. And they also saw…

"Am I delirious or that is a unicorn?" Sparx asked in low voice to Spyro as he looked at the particular creature, a horse, with pure-white fur and a golden horn on its forehead, and which soon was grouping with others of its kind. They seemed to be talking among themselves as much as everyone else as they looked at the young dragons who were being scouted into their village.

Malefor wasn't as impressed. He had already saw some of these creatures before in his early life, or at least heard about them. Malefor remembered that he had a meeting with a unicorn lord in that time. It was strange seeing all of these creatures again after so much time. Well, it was a long time for him, a time that he had passed as a puppet for Balthazar. A time that Malefor thanked the Ancestors and any other power that lived into the great heavens that had at least ended, and he was able to be himself again.

Still, he could not shake away the feeling that he had as they all gave him a look that was very much the same and that he was easily able to recognize. It was a look of someone who had suffered in his hands. Or who had at least heard about the monstrosities that he had done. A look of people who knew that he once was the Dark Master, and who would not take lightly all of the offenses of the past with the speech that he was under someone else's control. Malefor was feeling the despair of before creep back in his mind.

Cynder noticed this, and she gently touched his tail with her's. Malefor looked at her, and she smiled at him. "It is going to be okay." She said to him, as gently as possible, and the purple dragon smiled at her, and they continued to walk, with their tails touching. Over his shoulder, Spyro looked at them with their tails touching, and he was wondering if it was needed for them to be so close together.

The young dragons were led into the village, passing by a lot of people as they walked into stairs in direction to the upper plateaus, and they passed by a lot of people who gave them more stares and whispered among themselves as they passed. It was staring to become some short of pattern, which left the young dragons slightly uncomfortable, and they were actually quite glad when it came the moment that they were not among other creatures so much, as if they were going into a deeper place of the village.

They were led into another of the buildings, one that seemed to be a closed one, without windows, and as they walked in, Malefor noticed that the door of the place seemed to be made out of iron bars, and he also noticed that this construction was more sturdy and more resilient them the rest of the houses. Almost as if it was purposely made to resist things better.

They were guided inside, and the female said, "I'll be right back, stay in here." And she simply walked out, and the young dragons all looked at her as she went, and Sparx, who was still in Spyro's back, said, "Hey, what is that, no food?"

The young dragons all looked at Sparx, and soon, they were left alone in silence with the older dragon. The grey colored adult looked down at them, and he soon said, "Soooo, I guess this is interesting…"

He was trying to make a conversation, and Spyro said, "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

The grey dragon smiled, and he looked at the other two. "So… is that true?" He asked, and the young dragon and dragoness looked up at him. "You two are really… them?"

The young dragons knew what was the reason of that question, and they both looked at each other as they wondered how to answer. Luckily for them, Spyro was there to intervene. "What if they are?"

The older dragon looked at him, and he said, "Well, it would be a little awkward, wondering all that had happened during the war, and all the stories I had heard. I can say some people from here will not be very happy for having them here."

The two young dragons flinched, and Spyro looked at him, and he said, "It was not their fault." Spyro said, with very vehemence, surprising a little the older dragon. "They didn't choose to do these things, and neither had they asked for it to happen to them."

The way Spyro said it made the other two also look at him, and Sparx, who was in his back, also said, "Yeah, but it doesn't change the fact that they did."

"Good point." The older dragon agreed with the dragonfly, and then, as if he noticed him for the first time, he said, "You are a dragonfly?"

"Hey, lets focus!" Spyro said, looking at the bigger and older dragon, whom looked at him. "Oh, right, sorry." He said, apologizing as he scratched the back of his head. "I got carried away; by the way, my name is Ridley." He said, offering a nice smile.

The young purple dragon looked up at him, and he said, "I'm Spyro, this one is Sparx." He said, gesturing to the dragonfly in his back. "These ones are Cynder and Malefor." He gestured to the two other young dragons, who looked up at the dragon. Surprisingly, the older dragon smiled at them, and he said, "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, right…"

"N-nice to meet you, sir."

They both were not expecting a dragon to actually be nice at them, especially with the way that the other dragoness acted with them. The older dragon seemed to notice that the young dragons were a bit awkward, and he was about to say something else, when the older dragoness finally returned, and she was not alone.

Two bulky shapes were coming with her, both walking in two legs, with a very bulky and sturdy building, and both carrying axes with them. They had maroon-colored fur and green eyes. Their feet ended in hooves and they had short tails, and they had hands with four fingers which carried the axes they were bringing, which were each one with a blade almost as big as the bodies of the young dragons. They both had long horns in their heads and one of them had a golden ring on his snout, and they both were wearing long pants. They both were like humanoid bulls, and none of them seemed to be very friendly, as they looked at the young dragons.

Spyro and Cynder looked attentively at the creatures that they had never seen before. Malefor, however, knew full well what they were: Minotaurs. Malefor had already saw a few of them in his early life, and these encounters were usually a bit scary. Of course, Malefor was just a hatchling at the time, and so, big creatures like that seemed scary, still Minotaurs were famous for being a race that was directly involved into wars and they were known for being devoted to war and for being fierce, as well as for having a short temper. So, Malefor was taught to be very careful in dealing with them, for letting them angry could result in some broken bones or maybe even a missing limb. And now, looking at these bulky Minotaurs, Malefor suddenly felt like he had once again become a little and fragile hatchling who they could squish him as if he was a small bug.

Malefor gave a step back as the two bulky Minotaurs looked at him with an expression that was like they wanted to chop him in half right in the spot. However, they did nothing, they only stood there, as the dragoness stepped forward, and she said, "Ridley." The grey dragon looked at her, and she said, "We have to go now."

She then turned at the young dragons, and she said, "We didn't expected your coming in here. We have to talk to a few people and we might take a while. You need to stay in here and wait for our return." She then gestured at the two Minotaurs, "They are going to guard the place until we come back."

She didn't even need to say what it was about for them to understand. These two big and bulky guys were there to keep an eye on them, to make sure that the young dragons would not try anything during her absence. It was just another proof that she didn't trusted them just yet.

"Okie Dokie." Said Ridley, turning to the dragoness and making a salute, which seemed a little comic. She only rolled her eyes, and said, "Let's go."

And they both started walking out, and Ridley turned back to the young dragons, and he said, "If you want something just talk to these guys. Don't worry, they look mean but they are actually very nice. We'll be back soon." He offered a kind smile to them as he walked out, and the young dragons and dragonfly were left alone with the minotaurs, who still looked down at them with these grumpy expression.

There was a long moment of silence, as the bulky creatures held their axes, and Sparx said, "Nicer than they look?" He said in a whisper at the young dragons, "I really hope so."

Malefor looked at him, and he looked back at the minotaurs, and he said, "Huhhh, hi?"

The bull-like creatures snorted at him, almost giving him a scowl with their eyes, and once again, the former Dark Master felt like he just didn't belonged to that place. He looked down, turning and walking to a corner of the construction they were in, and laying in there, facing the wall. The minotaurs both kept their eyes on him, as if they were just waiting for him to try something.

Cynder, of course, noticed this, and gave her own scowl at the minotaurs, and she walked in direction to the purple dragon, and soon, she was there by his side, saying, "Don't worry. It will be okay."

Malefor looked at her, and he said, "I'm not sure…"

She gently bumped him with her paw, and she said, "Come on, we have gone this far and we can't give up now. I'm sure that it will be okay, we just need to keep our heads raised high." She had a nice and sincere smile in her face as she said these words to him. "I'm sure that we are going to be okay."

Malefor looked at her, and seeing how much she seemed to be sure of that somehow gave him hope and made him believe in it too. He was able to smile back, and they both shared a little laugh.

Sparx and Spyro both looked at them, and Sparx said, "Yeah, it really seems that they are almost like a family. I guess it comes from being a former evil." The dragonfly had said it with a tone of humor, but Spyro was not even close to smiling as he was looking at the two dragons in there, so close to each other…

 

 

 

 


End file.
